Nairobi

American  

[nahy-roh-bee] / naɪˈroʊ bi /

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Kenya, in the SW part.

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Nairobi British  

/ naɪˈrəʊbɪ /

noun

1. the capital of Kenya, in the southwest, at an altitude of 1650 m (5500 ft): founded in 1899; became capital in 1905; commercial and industrial centre; the Nairobi National Park (a game reserve) is nearby. Pop: 2 818 000 (2005 est)

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Nairobi Cultural  

1. Capital of Kenya and largest city in the country, located in southern Kenya.

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Discover More

Nairobi is a center for tourist safaris.

It was the capital of British East Africa — Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Zanzibar (see Tanzania) — from 1905 until the colonies became independent in the early 1960s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Nairobi

The aircraft went down in Samburu County, Kenya, about eight hours north of Nairobi, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

NAIROBI—The Nairobi Orchestra walked on stage for a recent afternoon concert ready to perform a demanding selection of pieces, including Hector Berlioz’s moody 1830 “Symphonie Fantastique.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

"We don't want tear gas and running battles in the streets. We are too old for that," one of the parents told journalists in Nairobi.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Police were taking no chances on Thursday, with a slew of roadblocks shutting off traffic on key roads around Nairobi, and schools and businesses shuttered.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

After all, we were nomads, far from the capital, Nairobi.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola